Ionization cross sections of small cationic carbon clusters in high-energy collisions with helium atoms and stability of multiply charged species

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.72.032707· OSTI ID:20718545

Mezdari, F; Wohrer-Beroff, K ^[1]; Chabot, M; Martinet, G; Della Negra, S; Desesquelles, P; Hamrita, H ^[2]; LePadellec, A ^[3]

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1. Laboratoire des Collisions Atomiques et Moleculaires, LCAM, UMR Universite Paris Sud et CNRS, No. 8625, Batiment 351, Universite Paris Sud, F-91405 Orsay, Cedex (France)
2. Institut de Physique Nucleaire, IN2P3-CNRS, F-91406 Orsay Cedex (France)
3. Laboratoire des Collisions Agregats- Reactivite, LCAR, UMR Universite Paul Sabatier et CNRS, No. 5589, Batiment III R1 B4, Universite Paul Sabatier-Toulouse III, 118, Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 4 (France)

Single, double, triple, and quadruple ionization cross sections of small cationic carbon clusters C{sub n}{sup +} colliding with helium atoms at a fixed velocity (2.6 atomic units) have been measured. The size ranges from n=1 to n=10 for single to triple ionization, from n=5 to n=10 for the quadruple ionization. The dependence of the cross sections with the cluster size is found to be well reproduced by predictions of the independent atom and electron (IAE) collision model. This extends the applicability of this simple model to higher n values and to a higher ionization degree than previously done [M. Chabot et al., Eur. Phys. J. D 14, 5 (2001)]. The branching ratios of multiply charged C{sub n}{sup q+} clusters remaining intact over a 100 ns time window have been measured (n=3-10, q=2-3). Branching ratios of nonfragmented doubly charged clusters have been interpreted on the basis of calculated internal energies of C{sub n}{sup 2+} due to single ionization of C{sub n}{sup +} clusters using the IAE model. This allowed estimates of the minimum energies required to fragment these C{sub n}{sup 2+} species to be derived.

• OSTI ID: 20718545
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Vol. 72, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.72.032707; (c) 2005 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMIC CLUSTERS
ATOMS
BRANCHING RATIO
CARBON
CATIONS
ELECTRONS
HELIUM
ION-ATOM COLLISIONS
IONIZATION